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Report - Friction Dynamex/Ferodo, Carmarthen - Sept 2013

Regular User

Here is a recent explore that I have been meaning to post for weeks. Myself, Trancentral and Rox headed off down the now very familiar A55 one morning to explore a couple of sites. This was first on the list.
The site is very large and the warehouse is massive. Even the admin block could be an explore on its own. It took ages to look round and I have whittled the pictures down from about 300 so my apologies if there still too many.

Friction Dynamex, originally called Ferodo, it was opened by Princess Margaret in 1962. By the late 60s it employed up to 1,100 making car parts.

In 1997 it was bought by American Craig Smith and renamed Friction Dynamics, with a workforce of 220.

In April 2001, T&G members staged industrial action in a dispute over terms and conditions, picketing the factory gates after they were locked out. Eight weeks later, bosses sacked the T&G members, sparking a three-year dispute â€“ the longest of its kind in North Wales

The first of three large parades was staged in Caernarfon as the community united in support of the sacked workers. In October 2002, an employment tribunal found they were unfairly dismissed. But before compensation could be paid, Friction Dynamics called in the receivers in August 2003 and all workers were sacked. Within three weeks Dynamex Friction was set up.

The T&G called off the protest at Christmas 2003. In September 2004 an employment tribunal ruled Friction Dynamics and Dynamex Friction were linked, and sacked staff should have been offered work by the new company. In 2006 Dynamex called in the liquidators.

Now it is a completely destroyed derelict site. Everything of value has been nicked and anything left has been destroyed.